John Lefsky Poop ’11

One of the hardest years to pin down a top 20. It seems like every time I turned around, there was some new music to be heard: some by old standbys and a lot by new acts. A couple of labels seemed to stand out (Sacred Bones, Trouble In Mind). Looking at my list from last year, I noticed that not a lot has changed: a lot of power pop/punk throwbacks alongside the noisemakers and sadsack song-writers. The last couple of years, #1 choices jumped out; I don’t even know what my top choice is as I write this. I might just go with my gut and throw on whatever got the most spins.

Buy New or Used via amazon1. Cute Lepers – ADVENTURE TIME. Fits nicely between my plays of the Buzzcocks and the Rezillos. Cotton candy with some ground glass.

Buy New or Used via amazon2. The Men – LEAVE HOME. Some screaming borderline metal/noise, post-punk mishigas with a krautrock topping.

Buy New or Used via amazon3. The Ex – CATCH MY SHOE. First album with the new ranter. After overcoming my initial Sok-shock, Arnold de Boer fit right in. Still with the jagged guitars, jagged politics, elephant drums, some catchier-than-usual hooks and some blaring brass heralding doomsday.

Buy New or Used via amazon5. The Mekons – ANCIENT AND MODERN 1911-2011. The Last Of England, through caustic, sad eyes. “We’ll cut the grass after the bombardment..” Raise a glass to decay.

Buy New or Used via amazon6. Ivan Julian – THE NAKED FLAME. Former Voidoid first solo, really? Didn’t miss a beat, appearing like the last few decades never happened. passing time is noted with an ode to colleague Robert Quine, and a surprising, and effective, cover of Lucinda Williams’ “Broken Butterflies.”

Buy New or Used via amazon7. Mikal Cronin – MIKAL CRONIN. Lush on a budget. Sweet harmonies, melodies that would chart if this were 1967, some rough edges that keep the Brian Wilson/Beatles references from becoming cloying. “Again and Again” is the best pop
tune of 2011.

Buy New or Used via amazon8. Thee Oh Sees – CASTLEMANIA. Two albums this past year, both great. This one wins because of the nifty covers, including one by the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. TOS play psych-garage like they are having fun and not concerned with re-writing the Nuggets recipe.